Dog shot after attacking poultry

Saturday

Apr 27, 2013 at 12:01 AM

FRENCH CAMP - A San Joaquin County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a pit bull that attacked a flock of chickens Friday morning in French Camp, but the search continued for the pack of wild dogs that has slaughtered hundreds of goats, authorities said.

Jason Anderson

FRENCH CAMP - A San Joaquin County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a pit bull that attacked a flock of chickens Friday morning in French Camp, but the search continued for the pack of wild dogs that has slaughtered hundreds of goats, authorities said.

The Sheriff's Office said deputies and animal control officers were searching for the pack of dogs shortly after 9 a.m. when a homeowner on Dudley Road reported that his chickens were being attacked by a pit bull. The dog killed at least five chickens and acted aggressive toward other domesticated animals, said Deputy Les Garcia, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Office.

Authorities responded to the scene and tracked the dog to an industrial park on South Airport Way, directly across the street from Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Garcia said. An animal control officer attempted to shoot the dog with a tranquilizer gun, but the dart bounced off the moving animal, Garcia said.

Fearing for the safety of nearby people, a deputy then shot the dog, Garcia said. It was the second pit bull destroyed by sheriff's deputies in less than 48 hours. On Wednesday, a deputy shot a pit bull that advanced toward him while he was searching for the pack of dogs along Little John Creek, Garcia said.

Authorities didn't know whether the pit bull shot Friday was part of the pack that has killed at least 240 goats in a series of attacks in French Camp since April 11. Witnesses have described a pack of six to 10 dogs consisting of pit bulls, a German shepherd and a coyote. The dogs killed 160 goats Monday at the Stockton Livestock Auction Yards.

"We're not sure if this is one of the dogs from the pack or not," Garcia said. "This one was caught in the act, and this time it was chickens, not goats. Even though we've eliminated two of these pit bulls, there are anywhere between six and 10 that are still out there associated with this pack. So far we haven't had any humans attacked, and we're trying hard to keep it that way."